Safety attachment for automobile axle joints



Feb. 6, 1923.

. G. BOWDEN.

SAFETY ATTACHMENT FOR AUT M4. i 5 w 3 f T .llTm H A 4 m M INVENTR z I By Attorneys, l

Feb. 6, 1923.

G. BOWDEN. SAFETY ATTACHMENT FoR AuToMoa LE AxLE JolNTs,

FILED APR. 12. 1922. I `2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR @Hyg y@ By Attorneys,

Patented 6, if.

Granny Bouman. or NEW ifonxfn.. YL.. f l

'sannita nrriicnrannr ron AUToraoBiin AXLnJoINTs.

Application'led April v1,2, 1922. Seria1"*l\o.'i551,923.

` To a?! aff/*fama t may cancerizi l Be it known thatl. Ganar Bewoner, a cit- Experience has shown that many acci-4 dents o S u serious, natureare due toja break .in the steeringv knuckle joint, or the steering arm which is attached to the steering knuckle.

The present invention is designedy to avoid, to a very large extent, accidents or breakage occurring in the -a-xle joints of automobiles, as explained above.

The invention further provides a device the character described, `which may be readily appliedv to automobiles ivitliout requiring alterationsin existing constructions,

and which may be'inade and sold at a reason.

able price; vand 4 which further admits of ready removal i of the Wheels,` either of the ordinary type in vWhich thespokes and hub are assembledas a unit, or ofthe disc or Wire Wheeltype Whereinthe hub is ordinarily separable from the remainder of the Wheel,

Tivo embodiments of the' invention Aare illustrated in the accompanying drawings, Wherein:,- j

Figure l is a view, partly inelevation and partly in section, of so much oi"y an axle, steering knuckle and Wheel as is necessary to illustrate the invention, andshovving the safety attachment ot the present vinvention applied thereto.

Fig. Qis a sectionalview on the line H- U, Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View on the line lll-HI, Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is atop planl view ot the part shown in Fig. l, on a reduced scale.

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. l, illustrat ing a second embodiment of -the invention, and shown as applied to a disc Wheel.

Fig. G is a sectional View on the line lll-VH, Fig. 5.

Figs. 7 and 8 are, respectively,a side elevation and a top plan View of another form therein.

or" the' axle-,attached portiomwvhich necesk sary c'e-rtain'typ'es of automobiles.v

Referring to said "drai'vings, numeral l0 designates al part adapted to be`=attached to the axle 11 'of an aut'oniobile,` designates l a rotatable part adapted to be :connected'in r' any suitable manner to* t.hi'e'Wheelv 18, and 15 designates a' part intermedi-ate' said rotatable part l2 and the-axle attached` part 10, having a' rotatableconnectionif(` to said ro.

tat-able part 12',` and a pivotal connection i to said axle-attache'd'palrt-IOL' y Y The axleattached par'tj 10 isconven'iently madein "tvvo channeled portions 2l, clamped together overtheaxle 11 by bolts or4 the like 23,passing` throughftlange's on `said parts 20, 2l;

The part l10j isalso preiterably 'formed With armsI 24E, Q-iitting over the yoke-'26 fof vthe axle,.'and having pivotsfor the like 2S.

inline" with @the axis a of the steering knuckle 30. The intermediate part lfconveniently has arms S'Smeeting the yoke-por# A tions 24; 25,and.connectedtofthe pins 28 by means of eyes 34j. By' these means the intermediate part is: able to turn arfound'theaxi's e a ot the steering .knuckle freely Withl the latter. Y. v.

i The joint 17 bet-Ween .the -intermediate part 15 and the rotatable part 12'y is Conven-k iently inthe forniY of la 'flangeva'nd channel, the flange 36' beingfconveniently"formed on Vthe part l2 andthe channel 38 being conveniently 'formed on the' vin't'er'inediate part 15,

The meeting faces oftheflange 36 and chann neled portion 38 are conveniently'case-hardened, and tracks 39viformed therein, and aiutif friction devices such" as balls 4Q placed j The rotatable party 12," isv conveniently formed. with a flatfflange t5 orthe like,

'which iS attachedin any y, suitable manner,

ilange e5v is 'bolted/directly toftliei hub 47 by means oi.t ybolts 48' or the like. As shown in Fig. 5, theflange 4:5 conveniently clamps between it and a flange 47 on the hub 13', by means ot bolts 48, or the like, the web ,49 of a disc Wheel.

accident to the steering knuckle or the steering arm 53, the steering of the automobile would still be possible through the arm 50.

rIhe parts 12 and 15 are conveniently assembled by making the intermediate part 15 in two portions, 60, 61, these parts V60, 61 being held together by any suitable means as by means of the bolts 63. l

In case of disc wheels, where thel disc andrim are ordinarily removed in changing a tire, the p-arts 60, 61 of the intermediate part 15 are preferably so constructed as to admit of ready separationof the said part .15 fromv the rotary part 10. As shown in Fig. 6, the joint between the-parts 60, 61 is conveniently formed at onev side of the arms 33. When the bolts 6.3 are removed, the part 61 may be removed, andthe part 60 is swung around the axis a a to disengage the flange'36. The hub 13, carrying with it the rotarypart 45, mayk move oif of the spindle 70' without interference.

When the' attachment is in place on the automobile, a break or disengagement of the parts of the steeringy knuckle may take place without the automobile being rendered unusable. 4 The wheel will be sup-y ported by the rotary part 12, the intermediatepart 15 andthey axle attached part 10, and thewheel maybe steered through the arm 50 on the intermediate part 15;

, and it may turn on the pivots 19 in line with the axisa LV of the steering knuckle.

In certain types of automobiles the axleattachedv part 10 shown in Figs. 1-6 inclusive would interfere with a part of the steering mechanism, in which case the axleattached part may be made-,in two portions 20', 20', asshown in Figs. 7. and 8, the two parts being preferably channeled similarly to the parts 20, 21, but meeting along a plane running vertically through the axle, and having flanges A24E for receiving the bolts 23 orthe like for clamping the said partsto the axle. An openin V"(5 may be provided for a steering arm willich extends from a steering knuckle parallel to the axle.

WTh-at is claimed is:

1. A safety attachment Vfor automobile axle joints comprising a part adapted to be connected to an axle, and means for connecting said axle-attached part to a wheelpart turning on the axle spindle, comprising a rotatable part and `an intermediate part rotatably connected to said rotatable part and pivotally connected to said axleattached part.

2. A safety attachment for automobile axle joints comprising a part adapted to be connected to an axle, and means for connecting said axle-attached part to a wheelpart turning on the axle spindle, compris-k ing a rotatable partand an intermediate' part rotatably connected to said rotatable.

part rotatably connected to said rotatable J part and pivotally connected to said axleattached part. said intermediate part being made in detachable parts permitting of connection and disconnection to said rotatable part. y

4. A safety attachment for automobile axle joints comprising a part adapted to be connected to anlaxle, and means for connecting said axle-attached part to a wheelpart turning onthe axle spindle, comprisijng ya rotatablepart and an intermediate part rotatably connected to said rotatable r part and pivotally connected to ysaid axleattached part, saidv intermediate partV hav-V ing a steering arm attachedr thereto.` j A lsafety attachment for automobile axle joints comprising apart adapted to be i connected to an axle, and means for `connecting said axle-attached part to a wheelpart turning on the axle spindle, comprising a rotatable part and an intermediate part rotatablyy connected to said rotatable part and pivotally connected to said axleattached part, said axle-attached po-rtion having a yoke corresponding to the axle yoke, and said intermediate part being pivoted to said yoke on' an axiscoincidentl with the axis of the steering knuckle.l

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

GARRY BOWDEN. 

